Welcome to The Guernsey Record - search, track and understand what's happening in your island
- The Quarry launches The Guernsey Record, a searchable database of planning applications, FOI disclosures, public notices, and journalism to make fragmented public information more accessible
- Free tier users can search the archive by parish and set up email alerts for freedom of information requests
- Paid subscribers gain access to planning application tracking, FOI drafting tools, keyword watches, and document summaries depending on membership level
- The project aims to democratise access to civic information, giving the public the same research tools used by journalists
- The initiative addresses a growing crisis: 37 UK local authority districts now have no dedicated news outlet, leaving 4.4 million people in 'news deserts'
Public information is fragmented, at times inaccessible and often difficult to understand.
This is a problem I meet every day in trying to research stories, clicking through several pages on different websites in the hope of finding what I want to then be confronted with a PDF download with a meaningless title.
In solving this to help make The Quarry’s journalism more powerful and timely, it became obvious that the solution should be available to everyone.
So The Guernsey Record was born - we now need help to test it and feedback any thoughts ([email protected]).
The Guernsey Record is a public-facing civic archive - a searchable database of Guernsey’s planning applications, decisions, FOI disclosures, public notices, journalism and our exclusive stories, one that will expand in depth and scope over time.
It is also a way of offering much more value for your subscription or memberships.
Those on our free tier can search the archive, including by parish, and link through to the original content. This level also gives you the ability to set up email alerts so you know every time a freedom of information request is answered.
Subscribers can in addition set up alerts to track planning applications and decisions. A guided FOI tool helps identify what to request, draft the application, and track responses.
They get easy to read summaries of all the documents.
Paid Members get keyword watches so when a subject, person or company of interest is mentioned, for example, they are sent an email alert.
Those on the Patron tier unlock the full research and drafting suite.
All paid subscriptions are vital in funding our work, we’re fully independent and remain committed to our advertising free approach.
The Record project is taking local journalism to a new place and in some ways putting power back in the hands of the public, giving people access to the same research and drafting tools I’m using - ultimately it helps anyone become a local news reporter.
In time, this is a model we hope to replicate elsewhere.
Up to 37 UK local authority districts now have no dedicated news outlet of any kind, leaving 4.4 million people in news deserts. A similar pattern is happening in America. Ultimately that erodes trust.
The problem is a lack of capacity to process, explain, and surface the information that already exists - in public registers, government portals, planning systems, and official records.
That information has not disappeared.
It simply goes unread, unsummarised, and unscrutinised.
The Quarry exists to solve this.
We do that through what we write, now we are doing that by providing access. If you want to learn more or have any ideas on how to fund the expansion of this project please drop me an email!
Nick
Q&A
Q: What is The Guernsey Record?
A: The Guernsey Record is a public-facing civic archive and searchable database containing Guernsey's planning applications, decisions, FOI disclosures, public notices, and journalism. It was created by The Quarry to make fragmented public information more accessible to both journalists and the general public.
Q: What features are available to free users versus paid subscribers?
A: Free tier users can search the archive by parish, link to original content, and set up email alerts for freedom of information requests. Subscribers can additionally track planning applications, use a guided FOI tool, and access document summaries. Paid Members get keyword watches for specific subjects, people, or companies, while Patron tier members unlock the full research and drafting suite.
Q: Why was The Guernsey Record created?
A: The platform was created to solve the problem of fragmented and inaccessible public information that makes journalism research difficult. The founder recognized that the tools developed to improve The Quarry's journalism should be available to everyone, democratizing access to civic information and helping address the crisis of news deserts affecting millions of people in the UK and America.
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